Agency staff- pay rates-unsocial hours

Dear Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland),

It is my understanding that agency workers are, by law, to be paid the same as WHSCT staff after 12 weeks.

It is my understanding that pay rates for a night shift for at least five NI care agencies are split into different time period rates.

From 20.00 to 00.00, 00.00 to 06.00 and from 06.00 to 08.00.

The following was taken from page 29 of the NHS Employee handbook relating to Northern Ireland and Scotland.

2.11 (With) "a continuous night shift ... the enhancements in column 2 should be applied to the *whole shift* if more than half of the time falls between 8 pm and 6 am. "

2.12 Staff will only receive *one rate of unsocial hours* payment for each hour worked.

Please outline the following;

1) Are WHSCT Health Care Assistants paid a consistent 'one rate only' rate between the hours of 20.00 and 08.00? (And if so, why are agency staff paid differently ie less?)

2) Why is the variant hours of pay which currently exists (and has long existed) in payment of an agency workers' night shift at odds with what is stated in the NHS Employee handbook?

Yours faithfully,

Joan Corrigan

FOI Request, Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland)

This e-mail is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.

We acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request (below) which was sent to the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland).  Our reference number for this request is listed in the subject line of this email and should be quoted in any future communications about this request.

We will forward your information request to the relevant manager / department for consideration and will contact you again soon with a Trust response.

Kind Regards

Freedom of Information Office
Western Health & Social Care Trust
Email: [Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland) request email]

-----Original Message-----
From: Joan Corrigan [mailto:[FOI #609263 email]]
Sent: 04 October 2019 21:56
To: FOI Request
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Agency staff- pay rates-unsocial hours

Dear Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland),

It is my understanding that agency workers are, by law, to be paid the same as WHSCT staff after 12 weeks.

It is my understanding that pay rates for a night shift for at least five NI care agencies are split into different time period rates.

From 20.00 to 00.00, 00.00 to 06.00 and from 06.00 to 08.00.

The following was taken from page 29 of the NHS Employee handbook relating to Northern Ireland and Scotland.

2.11 (With) "a continuous night shift ... the enhancements in column 2 should be applied to the *whole shift* if more than half of the time falls between 8 pm and 6 am. "

2.12 Staff will only receive *one rate of unsocial hours* payment for each hour worked.

Please outline the following;

1) Are WHSCT Health Care Assistants paid a consistent 'one rate only' rate between the hours of 20.00 and 08.00? (And if so, why are agency staff paid differently ie less?)

2) Why is the variant hours of pay which currently exists (and has long existed) in payment of an agency workers' night shift at odds with what is stated in the NHS Employee handbook?

Yours faithfully,

Joan Corrigan

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If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited.
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The content of this e-mail and any attachments or replies may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, unless legally exempt.

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Dear FOI Request,
I look forward to a response within the 20 day time limit framework, I think this Friday 1 November.
If a delay will occur please advise.

Yours sincerely,

Joan Corrigan

FOI Request, Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland)

1 Attachment

This e-mail is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.

Dear Ms Corrigan

We refer to your information request as detailed below. Please find attached a response from the Western HSC Trust. Our reference number for this request is listed in the subject line of this email and should be quoted in any future communications about this response.

Kind Regards

Freedom of Information office
Western Health and Social Care Trust

-----Original Message-----
From: Joan Corrigan [mailto:[FOI #609263 email]]
Sent: 04 October 2019 21:56
To: FOI Request
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Agency staff- pay rates-unsocial hours

Dear Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland),

It is my understanding that agency workers are, by law, to be paid the same as WHSCT staff after 12 weeks.

It is my understanding that pay rates for a night shift for at least five NI care agencies are split into different time period rates.

From 20.00 to 00.00, 00.00 to 06.00 and from 06.00 to 08.00.

The following was taken from page 29 of the NHS Employee handbook relating to Northern Ireland and Scotland.

2.11 (With) "a continuous night shift ... the enhancements in column 2 should be applied to the *whole shift* if more than half of the time falls between 8 pm and 6 am. "

2.12 Staff will only receive *one rate of unsocial hours* payment for each hour worked.

Please outline the following;

1) Are WHSCT Health Care Assistants paid a consistent 'one rate only' rate between the hours of 20.00 and 08.00? (And if so, why are agency staff paid differently ie less?)

2) Why is the variant hours of pay which currently exists (and has long existed) in payment of an agency workers' night shift at odds with what is stated in the NHS Employee handbook?

Yours faithfully,

Joan Corrigan

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #609263 email]

Is [Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland) request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland)? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This email is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Trust or organisation it was sent from.
If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this email in error please contact the sender.
The content of this e-mail and any attachments or replies may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, unless legally exempt.

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Dear FOI Request,

I do not accept your answer.

You have made statements relating to the topic I wrote about but you have not answered either of my questions and especially in number one it seems you are saying agency workers are not being paid the same as WHSCT staff for night rates.
Please answer the questions put to you directly and do not skirt around yes/ no answers.
(I am requesting an internal review)

Yours sincerely,

Joan Corrigan

Dear FOI Request,

On 31 October I requested an internal review.

Please acknowledge receipt of this request.

Yours sincerely,

Joan Corrigan

FOI Request, Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland)

This e-mail is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.

Dear Ms Corrigan

We acknowledge receipt of your email below and request for a review of the Trust's Freedom of Information response (our ref. FOI/19/341). This will be treated under the Trust's Internal Review procedures and has been forwarded to the relevant Director to nominate appropriate staff to carry out this review. We will be in contact as soon as possible with the outcome of this FOI Internal Review.

We would ask that our reference number is quoted in any future communications about this request.

Kind Regards

Freedom of Information Office
Western Health & Social Care Trust
Email: [Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland) request email]

-----Original Message-----
From: Joan Corrigan [mailto:[FOI #609263 email]]
Sent: 31 October 2019 16:55
To: FOI Request
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Agency staff- pay rates-unsocial hours

Dear FOI Request,

I do not accept your answer.

You have made statements relating to the topic I wrote about but you have not answered either of my questions and especially in number one it seems you are saying agency workers are not being paid the same as WHSCT staff for night rates.
Please answer the questions put to you directly and do not skirt around yes/ no answers.
(I am requesting an internal review)

Yours sincerely,

Joan Corrigan

-----Original Message-----

This e-mail is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.

Dear Ms Corrigan

We refer to your information request as detailed below. Please find attached a response from the Western HSC Trust. Our reference number for this request is listed in the subject line of this email and should be quoted in any future communications about this response.

Kind Regards

Freedom of Information office
Western Health and Social Care Trust

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #609263 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This email is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Trust or organisation it was sent from.
If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this email in error please contact the sender.
The content of this e-mail and any attachments or replies may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, unless legally exempt.

hide quoted sections

FOI Request, Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland)

1 Attachment

This e-mail is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.

Dear Ms Corrigan

We refer to your email below dated 31 October and your request for an internal review of the Trust FOI response (our ref. FOI/19/341).

We can advise that the internal review process is complete and we now provide the attached Trust response.

Kind Regards

Freedom of Information office
Western Health and Social Care Trust

-----Original Message-----
From: FOI Request
Sent: 07 November 2019 09:15
To: 'Joan Corrigan'
Subject: RE: FOI request: Agency staff- pay rates-unsocial hours (our ref.:FOI/19/341) - Internal Review

Dear Ms Corrigan

We acknowledge receipt of your email below and request for a review of the Trust's Freedom of Information response (our ref. FOI/19/341). This will be treated under the Trust's Internal Review procedures and has been forwarded to the relevant Director to nominate appropriate staff to carry out this review. We will be in contact as soon as possible with the outcome of this FOI Internal Review.

We would ask that our reference number is quoted in any future communications about this request.

Kind Regards

Freedom of Information Office
Western Health & Social Care Trust
Email: [Western Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland) request email]

-----Original Message-----
From: Joan Corrigan [mailto:[FOI #609263 email]]
Sent: 31 October 2019 16:55
To: FOI Request
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Agency staff- pay rates-unsocial hours

Dear FOI Request,

I do not accept your answer.

You have made statements relating to the topic I wrote about but you have not answered either of my questions and especially in number one it seems you are saying agency workers are not being paid the same as WHSCT staff for night rates.
Please answer the questions put to you directly and do not skirt around yes/ no answers.
(I am requesting an internal review)

Yours sincerely,

Joan Corrigan

-----Original Message-----

This e-mail is covered by the disclaimer found at the end of the message.

Dear Ms Corrigan

We refer to your information request as detailed below. Please find attached a response from the Western HSC Trust. Our reference number for this request is listed in the subject line of this email and should be quoted in any future communications about this response.

Kind Regards

Freedom of Information office
Western Health and Social Care Trust

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #609263 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This email is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Trust or organisation it was sent from.
If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this email in error please contact the sender.
The content of this e-mail and any attachments or replies may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, unless legally exempt.

hide quoted sections

Dear Dr Kilgallen.
I found your answer unhelpful & troubling.
I'll be seeking legal advice to try to understand the matter fully.

Kind regards,

Joan Corrigan